If you cross eggplant Parmigiana with baked ziti, you'd wind up with pasta ’ncasciata, a Sicilian baked maccheroni preparation comprises fried eggplant, ragù, and caciocavallo cheese. This particular version hails from the city of Messina, which sits on the northeast part of the island and has the closest proximity to mainland Italy.
A single layer of pasta with fried eggplant
Unlike most baked pasta dishes, pasta ’ncasciata is made with just one layer. The pasta is cooked as normal in salted water and then baked in the oven to form a crispy crust. It's topped with fried eggplant – if it’s fried the day before, even better.
In Messina, it’s made with ragù
Palermo's version of pasta ’ncasciata is made with a simple tomato sauce, Messina's version calsl for ragù. Ground beef is browned together with sautéed chopped onions and some white wine. And then the cheese on top just brings everything together.
Recipe for Messina-style pasta ’ncasciata
Ingredients
1 lb. macaroni-style pasta
14 oz. ground beef,
1 onion
½ lb. caciocavallo cheese, cut into strips
4 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
2 eggplant
white wine
basil leaves
tomato sauce
salt
extra-virgin olive oil
Method
Wash then cut the eggplant into ½″ cubes. Place them in a colander, sprinkle with coarse salt, and let them sit for an hour to release any excess water.
Rinse the eggplant under running water and pat dry with a cloth. Fry them in a pan with plenty of extra-virgin olive oil, then remove and let them rest on a plate lined with paper towels, which will soak up any excess oil.
In the meantime, chop the onion and sauté it for a few minutes in a pan with extra-virgin olive oil. Add the ground beef, ½ cup wine, and let cook for around 10 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of tomato sauce to the beef and continue cooking for around an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water and drain it once it’s al dente. Transfer it into a baking dish, pour the sauce on top, and mix well. Add the eggplant, caciocavallo cheese, and basil, and top with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Place in the oven for 15 minutes and then serve with a glass of Nero d’Avola.